Sky today announced that C cile Frot-Coutaz has been appointed CEO of Sky Studios, Sky's production and development arm across Europe.In her new role, C cile will take on the funding, development, production, and commissioning teams for scripted Sky Originals, working closely with Sky's Content leads in each market, to deliver premium comedy, drama, and documentary to Sky's 24m customers across Europe. C cile will also take charge of Sky Studios global portfolio of production companies which includes Blast! Films, Jupiter Entertainment, True North and Love Productions, creator of the Great British Bake Off. As CEO, her remit also includes Sky Studios Elstree, the new, state-of-the-art film and TV studios that will house 13 sound stages and is set to open next year.
Currently Head of YouTube in EMEA and formerly CEO of global production company Fremantle, C cile will sit on Sky's Group Executive and will take up her post in September 2021.
Dana Strong, Group Chief Executive, Sky said: C cile is a global leader in content and entertainment and has the bold vision and unique mix of experience needed to take Sky Studios to the next level of becoming a European production powerhouse. She is perfectly suited to lead Sky Studios as we ramp up our investment in original content and look ahead to cameras rolling at Sky Studios Elstree next year.
C cile Frot-Coutaz, said: Sky is a company that I have always admired as a content maker, as a partner and as a consumer. Like the rest of the industry I have witnessed the launch of Sky Studios just over two years ago and have seen the ambition and speed by which the organisation has grown. I could not pass up the opportunity to lead the studio through its next phase of growth and look forward to getting started later this year.
Since launching in 2019, Sky Studios has delivered world-leading content to Sky's platforms and channels across Europe. Last year, nine of the top 10 programmes viewed on Sky's channels in the UK were Sky Originals. Three of the four series nominated for best Drama Series at this year's BAFTA TV Awards are Sky Originals; Gangs of London, I Hate Suzie and Save Me Too. Content from Sky Studios is also entertaining viewers around the world. Last year 29 Sky Originals were shown on 15 different networks and platforms in the US alone including Britannia on EPIX, A Discovery of Witches and Gangs of London on AMC, Brassic on Hulu, Devils on The CW, I Hate Suzie on HBO Max, plus Intelligence, Code 404, Save Me and Hitmen on Peacock.
Upcoming projects for Sky Studios across Europe include The Midwich Cuckoos, starring Keeley Hawes and Max Beesley, Die Wespe, a German comedy starring Florian Lukas, and Alfredino, a moving series that charts the Italian story of Alfredo Rampi, 40 years on. While increasing investment in indie-commissioned projects, Sky Studios is also ramping up its in-house productions across all markets including Blocco 181 in Italy, a collaboration with Italian rap star Salmo, and The Rising, the first series produced entirely in-house by Sky Studios in the UK.
Current Chief Executive Gary Davey, who launched Sky Studios in 2019, remains with the business to ensure a smooth transition before retiring later this year.
Notes to Editors
Media Contact
Harrison.Kelly@sky.uk / +44 (0) 7817476365
About C cile Frot-Coutaz
C cile Frot-Coutaz is currently Head of EMEA for YouTube, based in London and is the incoming CEO of Sky Studios, Sky's production and development arm across Europe.
She started her career in strategy consulting at Mercer Management Consulting, in London, where she stayed for four years. In 1994, after obtaining her MBA, she joined the Pearson group headquarters in London. She was subsequently named Corporate Strategy Executive for Pearson TV, where she spearheaded the acquisition and integration of All American Fremantle into the Pearson Television group. In 2001, she relocated to Burbank as the US commercial lead for the renamed FremantleMedia Group. She held several executive roles and positions within the group, eventually ending as Chief Executive Officer in 2012. There she led a restructuring of the business and the strategy and was able to drive a successful transformation. She joined YouTube in October 2018 as Head EMEA. She is a graduate of ESSEC (B.A., 1988) and of INSEAD (M.B.A., 1994).
About Sky Studios
Sky Studios brings to screen unique stories from the very best talent in Europe.
We develop, produce and fund original drama, comedy and documentary for Sky's 24m customers and beyond. Building on the success of critically-acclaimed Sky Originals including Emmy-winning Chernobyl, Bafta-winning Patrick Melrose and international hits Das Boot, Riviera and Britannia, Sky Studios is the new creative home of Sky Originals, such as The Third Day with Jude Law, I Hate Suzie, co-created by Lucy Prebble and Billie Piper and BAFTA-nominated hit comedy, Brassic.
We're an agile Studio, seeking out the best untold stories from new voices while working in creative partnership with today's best writers, producers and on-screen talent to bring viewers stories they wouldn't find anywhere else.
With commissioning talent and production capability across the UK, Germany and Italy, we understand local tastes across Europe better than anyone else and have plans to more than double our investment in original content by 2024, fully supported and backed by Comcast NBCUniversal.
We're also developing a new TV and movie studio, Sky Studios Elstree, which is expected to lead to the creation of over 2,000 new jobs and generate an additional £3 billion of production investment in the UK creative sector in the first five years alone.
Sky Studios invests in the cultural economy and global production sector with equity stakes in several production comp
